CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) - A southeast Missouri man who has portrayed Santa Claus at events has been accused of sexually abusing a child.
Online court records show 55-year-old Jeffrey B. Moffat of Jackson is charged with one count of statutory rape with a person under the age of 14 and one count of statutory sodomy involving a person under the age of 14.
KFVS-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1J2cMkz) Moffat's being held on $50,000 cash bond. A lawyer assigned to represent Moffat didn't immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday. The charges say the alleged abuse occurred at Moffat's home.
Moffat has portrayed Santa Claus for the Iron Mountain Railway in Jackson.
Cheryl Huffman, president of the Iron Mountain Railway, told KFVS she believes Moffat is innocent and calls him a "valuable volunteer."